Pneumatic suction cleaning apparatus.



W. LOCKE & E. B. DUNN.

PNEUMATIG SUGTION CLEANIN G APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILBD MAY 10. 1900.

91 9,606. Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

2 anime-sum' fili I I [/l/l//l//l/ E II////[/III/li i /l /I//l//l/// :LE A d WITNE88E8: INVENTORSJ- W. LOCKE &u E. B. DUNN.

PNEUMATIC SUOTION CLBANING APPABATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 10. 1906.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

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' To all 'whom 'it/may concern:

UNITED s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE.

` WILLIAM LOCKE, OF WESTFIELD, AND ELIAS B. DUNN, OFEAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY,

ASSIGNO'RS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO VAGUUM 'ENGINEERING COMPANY, A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

PNEU'MATIC SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS. I

No. 919,&06. V

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Application filed May 10, 1906. i Serial No. 816,067.

Be it known that' we, WILLIAM LOCKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of VVestfield, county of Union, State of New Jersey, and ELIAs B. DUNN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, County of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Suction Cleanin A paratus, of which the following is a full, clear, and complete disclosure.

Our invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cleaning and scrubbing bare floors and enploying the use of water or other fluids. v

The object of our invention is to irovide such an apparatus that water may lis supplied to the floor being cleaned, by a suitable pipe or conduit, and through the cleaning instrument, which cleaning instrument -is arrangcd with suitable means for scrubbing or loosening the dirt from the floor, and also suitable means for carrying away the dirt and water so removed and for conveying the same to a distant suction and discharge apparatus.

For a full, clear and exact description of this form of our invention, reference may be had to the following specification and to the accom anying drawings forming a part thereo'i in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of a building showing a complete dirt-removing and suction apparatus installed therein; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a valved tap to which the flexible pipe connecting with the cleaning instrument 'is attached; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of said valved tap; Fig. 4 is a view of the fiexible pipe that may be connected to the cleaning instrument; Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the latter Fig. 6 is an end view of a coupling for connecting said pipe to said valved tap; Fig. 7 is an end view of the coupling at the opposite end of said fiexible pipe for connecting the same to the cleaning' instrument Fi'g. 8 is a side View of thecleaning and scrubbing instrument, showing the operative end thereof, partly in section; Fig. 9 is a plan View of the cleaning or scrubbing instrument, showing the handle or upper portion thereof removed; Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the handle of the cleaning instrument, and showing the valve therein; and Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the cleaning instrument with the handle attached thereto.

As shown in Fig. 1, the building in which the cleaning apparatus is installed is provided with a suction pipe 2, which is connected with a suitable device for produeing the suction, as indicated at 1. A branch from this pipe is provided at each floor ol' the building and terrninatesin a valved tap 4. Adjacent to and corresponding with the suction pipe 2 is a water supfply pi e 3. This also as branches at each oor o the building, as indicated at 3', and said branches are also connectedto the valved tap 4. The valved tap 4 is provided with two passagcs 7 and 8 which correspond go, and communicate with, -the pipe 2 and the water suppl pipe 3, rc-

spectively, so that when the va ve plug 5 is turned, both of these passages are closed and opened together. The valved tap 4 terminates in a screw threaded fiange 26 to which the fiexible pipe 9 is adapted to be connected. This pipe 9 is also provided with two passages 10 and ll corresponding to the assages 8 and 7 in the valved tap 4. The exible-pipe 9 is attached to the tap 4 by means ol' a cou ling piece 13, carrying an interiorly threade( coupling ring 12 ada ted to be screwed over the screw threade rojection 26 of the valve tap 4. The c lin( rical poi"- tion 15 of the handle of the e eaning instrument is also provided with two passages 20 and 21 corresponding to the fiassages 10 and 11 .in the flexble pipe 9. T c upper end of this handle is also provided with coupling means 17 and 18 adapted to be attached to the screw threaded coupling member 14 of the flexible pipe 9. The assage 20 in the handle' 15 is provided wit a valve 16 for shutting ofi the flow of Water therethrough. The lower end of the handle 15 is widened laterally and corresponds in shape to the top ,22 of the brush 23. This expanded portion of the handle 15 also includes the assages 20 and 21 i'or the water supply and t ie suction, respectively. The lower surface of the top 22 of the brush is provided with a iozzle or fiange 24'which may be pressed down upon or in roximity to the surface oi' the fioor being c eaned.

In o eration, the vacuum or sucticn apparatus aving been started, a suction is created in the pipe and passages 2 7, 11 and 21.

hen the valve of the nozzle 24 is opened, a stream of water is carricd from the supply pipe 3 throughthe passa es 8, 10 and 20 to the brush 23, said strean being controlled by the cock 16 in the handle 15. This allows the o erator to flush the floor` or surface being c eaned and at the same time to loosen the dirt by the usual scrubbing operation. 'hen the dirt and Water are thoroughly mixed and loosened from the surface being cleaned, the water is shut off by turnin the cock 16 and the`nozzle 24 is pressed (own into close proxinity to the said surface or This allows the water and dirt to be sucked through the sucton passages and into the sucton apparatus, as indicated at 1.

Having thus described our invention, it Will be evident that we do not wish to be limited to the exact details of -construction and form herein set forth, for various changes maybe made by persons skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

What we claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is- I 1. In a pneumatc cleaning apparatus, the conbination with a pneumatic cleaning im- Flement comprising a sucton head, drt dis-` odging. or scrubbing means carried by said head, and an inflexble' handle connected With said head, of a sucton condut and a liquid supplyconduit attached to the upper end of said handle and comnunicatng i through said handle With said head for supplying liquid and pneuinatc sucton thereto', and means for controlling the supply of-said liquid and suctionin said conduits.

2. In a cleaning apparatus, the combinaton in a dirt dislodgng implement, of an in- 919,coc

flexible handle having two passages thcrein, a flexible pipe connected with said handle and having two assages therein, a source of liquid supply an a source of pneumatic sucton connected with said passages, and means in said handle for controlling the supply of said liquid.

3. In a cleaning apparatus, the conbinaton of a dirt-dislodging implement, a pipe connected therewith, sad pipe having a passa e for a liquid and a sucton passage, a va ved ta in said pipe, two passages through sad valved tap, whereby the fluid and the sucton are controlled'together, and a valve for controlling the fluid supply independently of said valved tap.

4. In a cleaning apparatus, a dirt-dislodging and scrubbing inplenent comprising a brush having openinfgs in its back or top, a

sucton means and a uid supply means comnunicating with said openings. A

5. In a cleaning apparatus, a dirt-dislodging and scrubbing implenent conprising a brush having. openings in its back or top, fluid supply means and 'sucton means com n-unicating with said openings, a short fiange extending fr'on the inher surface of the top of the brush and adapted to be'pressed upon or in proximity to the surface being cleanedand normally held therefrom by sad brush.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this the fourth day of May 1906.

- WILLIAMLOCKE.

ELIAS B. DUNN. VVitnessesz. 4

JEssE J. GOLDBURG,

WM. GOLDBURG. 

